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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26903677">I'll float away (without you to hold me)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetAlphaChild/pseuds/SweetAlphaChild'>SweetAlphaChild</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tobidei Week 2020 [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Sentinels &amp; Guides, Day 3, Flirting, M/M, Romance, Sentinel Senses, Sentinel/Guide, Sentinel/Guide Bonding, TobiDei Week, TobiDei Week 2020</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 23:21:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,708</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26903677</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetAlphaChild/pseuds/SweetAlphaChild</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"So, you keep a photo of me in your pocket. Don't tell me, you kiss it every night before you go to sleep." The masked man's heart races. Deidara laughs and leans closer. "Or perhaps you do something else with it."</p><p>His Guide takes him by the elbow and rubs slowly. Deidara closes his eyes in pure bliss. Any minute he's going to purr like a damn cat.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Deidara/Tobi (Naruto), Deidara/Uchiha Obito</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tobidei Week 2020 [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1959256</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>49</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I'll float away (without you to hold me)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For Tobidei Week 2020 Day 3: Sentinel and Guide AU<br/>There is one (1) Arctic Monkeys easter egg.</p><p>Maybe this one deserves the author's note at the beginning, as it is a somewhat less known AU than others like Soulmates, although it actually has things in common with soulmates.</p><p>In this AU, one can present as either a Sentinel or a Guide. The Sentinels are so called because in ancient times and in some cultures they were used to guard the town from any danger. A Sentinel has improved senses. You can hear from long distances, you can hear sounds impossible for a normal person to notice. You can see from far, far away, perceive every tiny nuance of a food or a smell. This has a bad part: Sensory overload. A Sentinel can dial their senses up or down, like the volume of a television, but it is difficult when they have to do it by themselves.</p><p>That's when the Guide comes into play. Each Sentinel has a Guide. If sentinels have sensory powers, Guides develop mental powers. They can have premonitions, have a sixth sense, have an animal spirit, access other planes of existence and communicate with spirits.</p><p>If they are separated, the Sentinel cannot control their senses, nor can the Guide control well what happens to their soul. If they are together, one helps the other and both of them become stronger.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The breeze carries the scent of his group of pursuers. Deidara closes his eyes and sniffs the air and calculates that they must be a league away, maybe a little more than that. There are five of them and the remains of marinated chicken sauce they must have had for lunch, tells him they probably come from the Land of Water. Mercenaries or missing ninjas judging by the bodily odour they give off and the absence of lotion.</p><p>A pigeon perches on the roof of a nearby house. Deidara grimaces as the flapping of its wings hurts his ears and gags up moments later when the stench of fresh excrement muffles every single scent around him. Coughing, he rises from the battered stone wall and dials down his sense of smell as much as he can, which isn't a lot.</p><p>His pursuers come closer and Deidara grins and reaches into his clay pouches. Excitement bubbles in his chest and he almost gives in to the temptation to go out looking for them. A few minutes later the group's scent separates into two more subtle scents. So, an ambush. Deidara rubs his hands together and his sense of hearing dives into the cacophony of leaves wafting in the breeze, flapping wings, birdsongs and buzzing insects.</p><p>"A lonely Sentinel can't stay sane for that long without their Guide," says one of them. "This will be a piece of cake."</p><p>A cicada starts to sing. Deidara massages his temples, feeling like someone has poked sticks through his ears, straight into his brain. He throws a stone at the bushes where the noise comes from and the insect shuts up.</p><p>"They told me he's not very sane anyway. I know someone who got his leg blown up."</p><p>"Careful. He probably knows we are here."</p><p>Deidara laughs and sends a small clay bird to greet them. The explosion happens shortly after. The magnificent roar makes the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. His eyes are wide open, not wanting to miss that blend of red, orange and yellow surrounded by gray puffs of smoke. For a brief moment, nothing else seems to exist in the world other than him and his explosion. He's in love.</p><p>Something hits him on the shoulder. Deidara ignores it and keeps staring, mesmerized, at the way the dust covers the world. Another hit. This time, on the back of his head. Deidara loses his absent smile and looks at the ground, rubbing his nape. At his feet are two pink-wrapped candies. He frowns and then notices how close his pursuers are. Concentrating chakra in his legs, Deidara flexes his knees and leaps onto a ruined roof. The wooden slats creak and buckle under his weight. Some of his pursuers climb to the roof, the others await him a few meters ahead. Deidara jumps at the row of houses across the street and creates two clay pigeons, which explode, one against the other, against a thick wooden pillar.</p><p>Deidara giggles at the first blast and laughs at the second. The group of mercenaries disperses and regroups. One of them is holding a water sphere over his hand, large enough to catch a person.</p><p>"So, the water prison technique, hm," Deidara mutters.</p><p>The street goes uphill and Deidara forces himself to put more effort into each jump, dodging his pursuers just enough to make them believe they almost have him. At the end of the street, the old market building looms. Deidara sneaks in through a window. For a moment, none of the five follow him.</p><p>"Brace yourselves," one of them whispers. "He's trying to walk us into a trap."</p><p>Deidara looks up at the ceiling and checks that the dozens of clay bats are still there, hanging upside down from the rafters. The spiders awaiting his command peek out from every hole and crevice.</p><p>"Let's demolish the building then."</p><p>"Read my lips."</p><p>"What are you waiting for to learn what true beauty means!?" Deidara yells.</p><p>The mercenaries enter through different windows, cornering him on all fronts. Deidara places his index and middle fingers parallel to his face.</p><p>"One more step and all of us become my next masterpiece, hm. You don't look like art lovers to me, but that won't matter once you're dead."</p><p>Four of them look at who appears to be the leader, who holds his gaze. "You're bluffing."</p><p>Deidara sticks out his tongue.</p><p>"You like to bet high. Let's see if you win the jackpot," says Deidara. "Ka!"</p><p>The five mercenaries take a step back. Deidara looks at them and lets out a giggle. One of them walks forward, making some seals.</p><p>"You won't be able to use chakra inside the water prison," he grunts, showing two rows of sharp teeth.</p><p>"So, now you want to play which one is faster, hm," Deidara scoffs. "I have a question. Were you born with teeth like this or did you sharpen them with a file? When you guys suck each other cocks, don't you bite each other accidentally?"</p><p>The guy from the water prison charges.</p><p>"I'll make you pay for that!"</p><p>"Kat!"</p><p>Again, they stop. Deidara can hear the wild beating of their hearts. He searches through the chakra links that tether him to his creations and focuses on one of them above his head.</p><p>"I'm not kinkshaming or anything like that, just asking. It looks like it hurts, hm."</p><p>This time they all attack.</p><p>"Katsu!"</p><p>The explosion distracts them for a second. Deidara jumps through the hole in the ceiling, creates a bird and jumps on it. As he flies away, he sees one of the mercenaries going out onto the roof. Deidara makes the seal again.</p><p>"Katsu!"</p><p>A blaze hurts his eyes, crashing every window of the building. Once again, the blast shakes him whole. The shock wave messes up his hair as he watches the walls buckle and crack. Ashlars that have been attached for decades, beams that were once a tree, lives surviving in that hostile world finally surrender to his art, leaving behind a few blackened bones.</p><p>His bird glides to land on the ground. Deidara jumps down and takes a deep breath. The mixture of smoke and dust makes him cough, but the smoky aroma that fills his lungs makes him feel like he has become one with his art.</p><p>"Beautiful," he whispers and closes his eyes, enjoying the calm that always follows an explosion.</p><p>Birds have fled, insects have hidden and Deidara remembers what peace is.</p><p>"Deidara."</p><p>He hears a faint echo of a voice, as if it reached him from a different plane of existence. Deidara inhales again, enjoying the wonderful scent of his art. At least, until the weight of a hand falls on his shoulder.</p><p>"Deidara!"</p><p>Deidara turns around and looks at the swirly orange mask. A hot shiver runs through his body. A Guide. His Guide. Deidara feels like he's lying on the most comfortable bed in the world after all day walking. He looks him up and down. His black robe, leather gloves and sandals showing fingers. The scent of smoke stops burning his lungs, the touch of his clothes no longer feels like the tongue of a giant cat against his skin. Deidara pulls away.</p><p>"You," he answers, twisting his lip. "I should have guessed it was you. You interrupted my moment of peace."</p><p>"I dreamed about you every night this week," says the masked man.</p><p>Deidara snorts and takes a few steps away. He hates not having heard him coming. He hates not having smelled him coming until he's there in front of him and each and every time, he wonders how he does it.</p><p>"Pervert," he answers, looking over his shoulder.</p><p>His Guide follows him.</p><p>"Some mercenaries from the Land of Water were coming for you. You prepared a trap for them but spaced out looking at some specks of dust in a ray of sunlight. They captured you and sold you back to the Tsuchikage who locked you in a dungeon. Think what would have happened if I didn't get to throw those candies at you."</p><p>"You saved me from an embarrassing capture, then. Thanks, hm. See you next time,” Deidara says. "Because I guess you'll keep coming to see me."</p><p>Deidara listens to his Guide's breathing and the beat of his heart. The masked man stands still and through their bond, thin like a thread, Deidara can feel his urge to get closer to him, but he doesn't.</p><p>"Come with me, Deidara. We need each other."</p><p>"Tch." Deidara rolls his eyes. "I knew this was coming. Don't you ever get tired of me saying no?"</p><p>The masked man giggles softly, Deidara's pulse races.</p><p>"I wanted to think that you would say yes this time."</p><p>"I'm fine on my own, I didn't betray my village to join another." Deidara kicks a stone. "They are all the same bullshit."</p><p>"How do you know that I come from a village? I've never told you."</p><p>"Are you kidding me? You come from Konoha. You all smell the same. Pine,” Deidara says, sniffing the air. "You in particular also smell like cut wood burning in a bonfire."</p><p>"I'm glad I do, you seem to like smoke a lot," his Guide says.</p><p>Deidara bites his lip. "You smell like sweets too. How many cavities do you have?"</p><p>"None! I brush my teeth twice a day,” he replies, his slightly offended tone of voice making Deidara smile but he soon forces himself not to get carried away.</p><p>"You want me to go with you when you don't even want to show me your face."</p><p>His Guide brings his hand to his mask.</p><p>"I can't risk it. If Konoha finds out that my Sentinel is a ninja from the Hidden Rock, they'll use me to get to you,” he says, running his fingers down the swirl.</p><p>Deidara waits for him to take it off, but he doesn't.</p><p>"Then, you can't possibly want me by your side that badly, hm."</p><p>"If you stay here on your own, sooner or later they will capture you." The masked man takes a piece of paper from his pocket, unfolds it and shows it to him. Deidara looks at his own photo on the ripped page of a Bingo Book. "You have one of the biggest bounties in the Bingo Book. Eventually, someone else will try to capture you. Your senses will go haywire and you will be vulnerable."</p><p>Deidara wants to get away, but the weak tug of the bond that binds them feels too good. Too comfortable. After a few seconds he stops resisting the temptation and takes a step towards his Guide.</p><p>"So, you keep a photo of me in your pocket. Don't tell me, you kiss it every night before you go to sleep." The masked man's heart races. Deidara laughs and leans closer. "Or perhaps you do something else with it."</p><p>His Guide takes him by the elbow and rubs slowly. Deidara closes his eyes in pure bliss. Any minute he's going to purr like a damn cat.</p><p>"I never look at it because it makes me suffer not knowing if you are okay," says the masked man and the tingle of his voice, deep and velvety, almost makes him moan. "I had a hard time finding you. You seem to like remote places lately."</p><p>"Hm."</p><p>Deidara doesn't like that tone. It implies that he knows why. That his senses have spiralled out of control more than he dares to admit, and that his training in dialling them down on his own isn't enough. Deidara knows that the masked man knows.</p><p>"And soon I won't be able to justify anymore why am I sneaking out of my village. The Hokage is starting to grow suspicious."</p><p>"You'll keep coming," Deidara replies, though he's not entirely sure.</p><p>There is something about the uncertainty of not knowing it for sure that makes him affirm rather than ask.</p><p>"And I wish I didn't have to," says his Guide and Deidara gives him a hurt glance. The gloved hand that massages his elbow goes up his arm. "Ever since you came online as a Sentinel I have been dreaming of you. I saw you when the third Tsuchikage left you in that wasteland for a week to awaken your power. I didn't know who you were or why I was having visions of you but I recognized your uniform. You don't know how hard it is to see you in danger and not being able to help you."</p><p>Something hurts inside Deidara's chest and he knows it's caused by their bond. He stops resisting the urge of being close to him, the craving of his calming presence. His bare hand rests on the glove and little by little he starts to pull it out.</p><p>"You know what will happen if our skin comes into contact," his Guide whispers.</p><p>Deidara knows. He knows that their bond will grow from thread to yarn and then will get thicker and thicker until reaching absolute union. They'll share everything, feelings, emotions. They'll become more powerful.</p><p>Then he won't be able to stand being away from him.</p><p>"Stop me if you don't want to, hm," Deidara replies.</p><p>"I've told you already. Since you came online I waited for this. It was you who always ran away from me."</p><p>The glove falls to the ground, their fingertips touch and Deidara thinks that's the most pleasant sensation in the world. Not particularly soft or rough, but those fingers belong to his Guide.</p><p>
  <em>His guide.</em>
</p><p>Their fingers intertwine and when the masked man takes him by the waist, Deidara leans on his chest. Through the bond, he feels his happiness, soothing and comforting. His senses fully normalize and a blanket of silence falls upon the world. Deidara puts his ear on his Guide's chest to keep listening to his heartbeat.</p>
<hr/><p>It's like floating up in the air. There is nothing else on his mind except that lulling sensation. Deidara cannot see him, but he knows that his presence is there with him. There is a silver thread coming out of his solar plexus, leading him back. Below is his body, lying on the ground with his eyes closed. The thread gets shorter and shorter, until he enters your own body.</p><p>Deidara opens his eyes. In front of him is a man he has never seen, but he knows immediately who he is.</p><p>"Everything all right?" He whispers, beaming at him.</p><p>Deidara feels sluggish, like he just woken up. He stretches as he gazes at his Guide's face, his left eye covered with a patch and the deep scars on the right side of his face.</p><p>"You took it off, hm," he mumbles and reaches out to feel his skin under his fingers.</p><p>"There was no need for a mask anymore," his Guide replies.</p><p>Deidara touches his lips. "I fell asleep all of a sudden and had a very strange dream."</p><p>"It wasn't a dream. I was so happy when you had accepted me that I accidentally sent us both to the astral plane..."</p><p>Deidara giggles. "Aren't you supposed to control that?" He asks.</p><p>"I'll end up doing it now that you're by my side," his Guide replies. Then he takes his hand. "Since the day you came online as Sentinel, I have been able to enter the astral plane. I couldn't control it but it doesn't happen often. This year it happened to me four times already and the last time I struggled to come back to my body."</p><p>Deidara sits up, taking note of the anxiety that reaches him through their bond.</p><p>"We'll be stronger now," he says. "But I refuse to join a village again, hm."</p><p>"We will challenge them both." His Guide squeezes his hand. "We will challenge them all and force them to make peace."</p><p>"And if they don't want to, we'll bomb them, hm." His Guide cast him a disapproving look. Deidara held his gaze. "And what do you say your name is?"</p><p>Instead of replying, he just kisses him on the lips. Deidara notices how the bond between them widens a little bit more and a thought appears in his head.</p><p>
  <em>"Uchiha Obito."</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Although Obito would also make a good Sentinel, I decided that Deidara would be because I didn't see him as a Guide. Also, Obito with his Sharingan inspires me more mental than physical powers. It was a challenge writing this because there is little information. I wish it was more popular.</p><p>Thanks for reading and happy Tobidei Week 2020!</p><p> </p><p>Wanna keep in touch? <a href="https://ubeetlebum.tumblr.com/">My tumblr</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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